Last Sunday, I went to a high-school auditorium for a charity concert by Tokyo Baroque Scholars because I thought the conductor's discussion under the title "the Last 5 Years of Mozart" sounded interesting. I was expecting merely an excerpt for Requiem Kv. 626, but they sang the whole chorus sections. If I remember correctly, they don't put this piece on their formal concerts, and when do they actually practice, I wonder?

Mr. Misawa talked about Mozart's visit to Leipzig where he received the performance of Bach's motets to which he was very much moved, and Bach thereafter became a more influential part in Mozart's composition. Some examples are Requiem's main theme being derived from the Art of Fugue; and a phrase in Lacrimosa features B-A-C-H code which is not a mere coincidence.

There were 20 male singers in the group, and more tenors (12) than basses (8) is not so typical. Reflecting it perhaps, the balance of bass in "Singet" motet sounded a bit weak. I always pay more attention on tenors by nature, and I found they slipped their keys slightly low harmonically as their concentration faded toward the later songs in Requiem (due to accumulated fatigue possibly). Quite enjoyable concert overall, and they collected the donations at the exit for supporting the recovery from now 5-year old Disaster.